shirty

[prettygoodword]

shirty (SHUR-tee) - adj., (Brit.) ill-tempered, annoyed, cranky.


Crabby, cross-grained, talking angrily because irritated, and so on. Hardly ever used in the States, for what it's worth. Origin uncertain, but it's frequently suggested that it's related to the idiom to get (someone's) shirt out, meaning to annoy someone, which again isn't an Americanism, though its converse, keep one's shirt on, to AVOID getting annoyed, is very much one. Go fig.

---L.

Comments

[thistleingrey.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I hadn't realized that "keep your shirt on" is an Americanism: I've met it only (that I remember) in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Dated somewhat, then, perhaps?

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I've heard it in action, but not often -- I've more often read it. Possibly somewhat dated that's survived as a regionalism?

---L.